Asymmetric package for market appeal

ABSTRACT

The invention is directed to asymmetric packages that can be randomly labeled to have labeling that tilts to the right and left. The packages when labeled and displayed in a group have excellent marketing appeal and create a wave-like appearance or illusion of animation to the eye of the consumer.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention is directed to an asymmetric package. Moreparticularly, the present invention is directed to an asymmetric packagesuitable for use with food products. The asymmetric package can standright side up or upside down, is preferably squeezable and creates awave-like appearance or illusion of animation when displayed in a group.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Packages, like bottles, especially translucent bottles, are usedto present to the public a variety of household products, especiallyfood products. Manufacturers of such bottles often focus on the grippingmeans of the bottles to ensure that the bottles do not fall out of theconsumers' hands. Such gripping means, however, typically are ofinterest to manufacturers when the bottles are large in size (i.e., atleast 1000 ml).

[0003] Other manufacturers often focus on marketing techniques forindividual packages. For example, individual bottles have been shapedlike animals or drinking glasses so that they may be further used and/ordisplayed after being emptied. Also, manufacturers have focused onlabeling for individual bottles to attract consumers.

[0004] Unfortunately, manufacturers have not focused on the need for apackage that is easy to grip, ergonometric, small in size (i.e., no morethan 750 ml) and an excellent means for marketing and promoting aproduct, especially when displayed in a group. This invention,therefore, is directed to an asymmetric package which can stand rightside up or upside down. The asymmetric package can preferably besqueezed, and can create a wave-like appearance or illusion of animationwhen displayed in a group. The asymmetric package of this invention iseasy to grip, ergonometric and an excellent means for marketing andpromoting a product.

ADDITONAL INFORMATION

[0005] Efforts have been disclosed for making packages. In U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 2003/0075521 A1, handy bottles capable of absorbingdeformation strain are described.

[0006] Other efforts have been disclosed for making packages. In patentapplication Ser. No. 2003/0031851 A1, packaging with photographic imagesis disclosed.

[0007] Still other efforts have been disclosed for making packages. InU.S. Pat. Nos. Des. 416,199, 3,537,498, 5,156,285, 5,350,078, bottlessuitable for gripping are described.

[0008] None of the additional information above describes an asymmetricpackage that, among other things, can stand right side up or upside downand can create a wave-like appearance or illusion of animation whendisplayed in a group.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] In a first aspect, the present invention is directed to anasymmetric package that is easy to grip and ergonometric, the asymmetricpackage comprising:

[0010] (a) an offset waste line; and

[0011] (b) a label

[0012] wherein the label can be randomly applied around the offset wasteline of the asymmetric package and randomly tilt to the right or left.

[0013] In a second aspect, the present invention is directed to a groupof randomly labeled asymmetric packages of the same product, the groupof randomly labeled asymmetric packages creates a wave-like appearanceor illusion of animation when being displayed wherein each label on thelabeled asymmetric packages randomly tilts to the right or left withinthe group.

[0014] Asymmetric, as used herein, means no correspondence of form andconfiguration on opposite sides of a dividing line or center of axis.Squeezable is defined to mean suitable to be squeezed by the human handso that a consumer product can be removed or evacuated therefrom.Wave-like appearance or illusion of animation is defined to meancreating a swinging from side to side image, energizing and giving lifeto. Package, as used herein, is defined to mean a container suitable tosell consumer products in, and such a container can comprise metal,glass, plastic or paperboard. Ergonometric, as used herein, is meant tomean easy to grab and hold with either the right or left hand and havinga first indentation for the thumb and a second indentation for theremaining fingers of the hand located opposite the first indentation.Offset waste line, as used herein, is defined to mean a perimeter of thepackage falling in between the middle 50% of the package.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] The subject matter which is regarded as the invention isparticularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concludingportion of the specification. The invention, however, may be bestunderstood by reference to the following description taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings figures in which:

[0016]FIG. 1 depicts the asymmetric package of the present inventionwith a label thereon;

[0017]FIG. 2 shows a group of the packages creating a wave-likeappearance or illusion of animation;

[0018]FIG. 3 illustrates a preferred manner for labeling the package ofthis invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] There is no limitation with respect to the type of package usedin this invention other than that the package is one which is suitableto contain a consumer product, and especially, a food product. Such apackage typically comprises metal, glass, paperboard, or plastic. In apreferred embodiment, however, the package of the present invention is asqueezable plastic comprising polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethyleneterephthalate, ethylene-vinyl alcohol combinations thereof and the like.In an especially preferred embodiment, the package of the presentinvention is a bottle comprising polypropylene wherein the bottle isequipped with a conventional cap (including a squeeze cap) and able tostand right side up or upside down.

[0020] The consumer products suitable for use with the asymmetricpackage of this invention include hair care products, skin careproducts, soap, detergents and food products. The preferred productssuitable for use with the package of this invention are food productslike mayonnaise, tarter sauce, salad dressings, cheese condiments,mustard, ketchup, relish, margarine, and especially, dipping sauces, allof which may be made commercially available from suppliers like UnileverBestfoods.

[0021] Turning to the Figures, FIG. 1 shows illustrative asymmetricpackages 10 a and 10 b in the form of squeezable plastic bottles restingon their caps 12 a and 12 b, respectively.

[0022] Bottle 10 a comprises product label 14 a (with, for example, aproduct logo, company name and marketing slogan) tilting in thisillustration towards the left. First indentation 16 a forms acomfortable indentation for the thumb of a consumer's hand (not shown)to insert around or rest on whereby the remaining fingers of theconsumer's hand (not shown) can wrap around the bottle to rest on secondindentation 18 a, which forms a comfortable indentation for the same.

[0023] Bottle 10 b comprises product label 14 b tilting in thisillustration opposite the direction of product label 14 a and towardsthe right. First indentation 16 b forms a comfortable indentation forthe thumb of a consumer's hand (not shown) to insert around or rest onwhereby the remaining fingers of the consumer's hand (not shown) canwrap around the bottle to rest on second indentation 18 b, which forms acomfortable indentation for the same.

[0024] Regarding bottle 10 a, product label 14 a in this illustrationtilts to the left since product label 14 a initiates under the topportion 20 a of second indentation 18 a to surround offset waste line 22a. On the otherhand, product label 14 b tilts in a direction oppositethe direction of product label 14 a and to the right since product label14 b initiates over top portion 20 b of first indentation 16 b tosurround offset waste line 22 b. It is particularly noted that label 14a and 14 b are described as tilting in a direction opposite to eachother for illustration purposes. It is within the scope of thisinvention, however, for such labels to tilt in different directionswhich may not necessarily be opposite each other.

[0025] Turning to FIG. 2, shown is a group of asymmetric bottles 22comprising at least one bottle 10 a and at least one bottle 10 brandomly distributed throughout the group wherein product label (tiltingto the left) 14 a and product label (tilting to the right) 14 b create awave-like appearance or illusion of animation within the group ofasymmetric bottles 22. Such a wave-like appearance or illusion ofanimation provides an excellent marketing means by attracting consumersto the products packaged in, for example, asymmetric bottles 10 a and 10b displayed within the group.

[0026] In an especially preferred embodiment, offset waste lines 22 aand 22 b fall in between the middle 35% of the package, and presentwithin the group are asymmetric packages where, for example, the ratioof 10 a:10 b is from about 2:8 to about 8:2, and preferably, from about3:7 to about 7:3, and most preferably, from about 4:6 to about 6:4. Inan especially preferred embodiment, no more than 5 identical asymmetricpackages are adjacent to each other within the group. In anotherespecially preferred embodiment, the group of asymmetric packagesdescribed herein comprises at least about 20 packages, and preferably,at least about 25 packages, and most preferably, at least about 30packages, and the group is displayed for sale on at least two (2)shelves or racks that are vertically in line with each other.

[0027] Regarding the labels which may be used in this invention, suchlabels may contain, for example, shapes, symbols, company names, productlogos, marketing slogans, combinations thereof and the like. Moreover,there is no limitation with respect to how the labels are put on thepackages of this invention, as long as the labels do not interfere withthe function of the package and the products contained therein.Typically, such labels may be painted on to the packages, etched in thepackages or placed thereon with an adhesive.

[0028] In a preferred embodiment, and as shown in FIG. 3, labels 14 aand 14 b may be placed on packages 10 a and 10 b, respectively via aconventional shrink-wrap technique whereby the label envelopes thepackage and is tightly shrunk on the package with a heat source.

[0029] Regardless of the technique employed to apply labels on to theasymmetric packages of the present invention, the asymmetric packages,during production, are fed into a filling line randomly with either thefirst indentation on the right and the second indentation on the left,or the second indentation on the right and the first indentation on theleft, resulting in labels tilting to the right and left.

[0030] The example which follows is provided to facilitate anunderstanding of the present invention. The example is not intended tolimit the scope of the claims.

EXAMPLE

[0031] About 30 asymmetric bottles (similar to those shown in thefigures) can randomly be shrink-wrapped with a Unilever Bestfoods'dipping sauce product label, filled with a brownish dipping sauce andcapped. Approximately half of the asymmetric bottles should have labelstilting towards the left and half should have labels tilting toward theright. The asymmetric bottles can be randomly stacked in a group 15randomly labeled asymmetric bottles on top of 15 randomly labeledasymmetric bottles (all standing on their cap). Ten (10) observers maybe asked to assess the look and appearance of the randomly stackedbottles from approximately 25 ft. All ten (10) observers are expected toconclude that the labeled group of asymmetric packages are eye-catching,complete with marketing appeal, and creating a wave-like appearance orillusion of animation when displayed.

What is claimed is:
 1. An asymmetric package comprising: (a) an offsetwaste line; and (b) a label wherein the label can be randomly appliedaround the offset waste line of the asymmetric package and randomly tiltin different directions.
 2. The asymmetric package according to claim 1wherein the package comprises a first indentation for a thumb of a handto rest on and a second indentation for remaining fingers of the hand torest on while wrapping around the asymmetric package wherein the secondindentation is opposite the, first indentation.
 3. The asymmetricpackage according to claim 2 wherein the label tilts towards a firstdirection when initiating from the second indentation and tilts towardsa second direction when initiating from the first indentation.
 4. Theasymmetric package according to claim 3 wherein the label tilts to theleft when initiating from the second indentation and tilts to the rightwhen initiating from the first indentation.
 5. The asymmetric packageaccording to claim 1 wherein the asymmetric package further comprises ahair care product, skin care product, soap, detergent, or a foodproduct.
 6. The asymmetric package according to claim 1 wherein theasymmetric package further comprises a food product which is mayonnaise,tartar sauce, salad dressing, cheese condiment, mustard, ketchup,relish, margarine, or a dipping sauce.
 7. The asymmetric packageaccording to claim 1 wherein the asymmetric package is squeezable. 8.The asymmetric package according to claim 1 wherein the package canstand right side up or upside down.
 9. A group of randomly labeledasymmetric packages of a product wherein the group of randomly labeledasymmetric packages creates a wave-like appearance or illusion ofanimation when being displayed.
 10. The group according to claim 9wherein the labeled asymmetric packages are ergonometric.
 11. The groupaccording to claim 9 wherein the labeled asymmetric packages may besqueezed to discharge product.
 12. The group according to claim 9wherein the packages comprise a hair care product, skin care product,soap,. detergent or food product.
 13. The group according to claim 9wherein each package of the group of randomly labeled asymmetricpackages has a first indentation and a second indentation opposite eachother, the first indentation forming a comfortable indentation for athumb of a hand to rest on and the second indentation forming acomfortable indentation for remaining fingers of the hand to rest onwhile wrapping around the asymmetric package.
 14. The group according toclaim 9 wherein each package is squeezable, and each package can standright side up or upside down.
 15. The group according to claim 9 whereinthe randomly labeled asymmetric packages are displayed on at least twoshelves that are vertically in line with each other.